Child abuse has become a severe social and public health problem and many studies have revealed the alarming number of child abuse cases all over the world. The diverging parenting norms and standards of different cultures has made it difficult to arrive at an agreement on the definition of child abuse. Nonetheless, The World Health Organization defines child abuse as follows, “Child abuse or maltreatment constitutes all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power”. Child abuse has been broadly classified into four types, namely, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional maltreatment and neglect.
Before studying the effects of child abuse on a child’s physical and mental state, it is important to establish the factors which are responsible for the effects. By establishing and analyzing the factors, it is easier to comprehend the link between the type of child abuse and the subsequent effect it had on the child. The various factors affecting the consequences of child abuse include, the severity of abuse, the age of the child, the frequency and duration of the abuse, relationship between the child and the abuser, and the developmental status of the child.
The plight of child abuse often leaves the children with various unfavorable ramifications. These ramifications may affect physical, emotional or cognitive capacity of the child. In examining these effects, it is important to understand their interrelated nature and the overall impact on the child's personality. While the immediate physical effects of abuse are not significant in most cases, a large number of researches focusing on the physical effects of child abuse have concentrated on the outcomes in adulthood. According to the data from Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) in America, one traumatic episode of abuse at young age doubled the chance of a child having overall poor physical health. Furthermore, the chances of poor health tripled if the child had faced four or more traumatic episodes of abuse. Another study indicated that abuse and neglect were the primary causes for eight out of the ten major adolescent health risks. Shaken baby syndrome, a common form of abuse, has been found to result in health problems such as brain damage, spinal cord injuries, impediment in speech, loss of hearing, and in worst cases, even death.
Impaired brain development has been noticed in several children who were victims of child abuse. The improper growth or failure of development of critical regions in the brain, resulted in impaired brain development (“Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect”). Hypertension and diabetes are two other health problems found to be prevalent among children who were abused. One study associated neglect with diabetes and poor lung functioning, whereas physical abuse was seen to induce malnutrition. Children who experienced abuse were also observed to deal with obesity problems at a later age.
The psychological effect of child abuse is found to far outweigh the physical and cognitive effects. This is mainly due to the fact that almost all children are emotionally fragile and do not possess the maturity to process a traumatic experience. Unlike physical effects, there are immediate emotional reactions to abuse such as isolation, fear and inability to trust. These immediate effects develop to become lifelong emotional problems including, depression, difficulty in relationships and low self-esteem. Infants who were subjected to a change of primary caregiver were more likely to have attachment issues (Amaya-Jackson). Depression is one of the severe effects of child abuse and a study by ACE data revealed that 54 percent of people experiencing depression and 58 percent of people who attempted suicide underwent an abusive ordeal in their young age. Children who were abused were also more likely to exhibit abusive behavior towards their own wards. This consequence of child abuse is especially tragic as the victim of abuse, on whom pain was inflicted upon, is turned into the person who inflicts pain.
Complex trauma is a term being used more and more widely in researches concerning the emotional effects of child abuse. Studies have explained complex trauma as the adverse repercussion of child abuse which affects the capability of the child to integrate sensory, emotional and cognitive information. This observation further explains the extreme reaction to subsequent stress seen in child abuse victims. Childhood trauma also affects the social tendencies of children, often making them feel unwelcome in groups, further pushing them towards isolation (Lamont). Substance abuse is another serious consequence of child maltreatment, with the children showing increasing likelihood of using alcohol and other drugs. A study conducted by National Institute of Justice in United States predicted that victims of child abuse were 11 times more likely to be arrested during adolescence. Child maltreatment has also led to higher pregnancy risks and higher vulnerability to sexual assault.
Thirty one percent of adolescents who were abused were found to have suicidal thoughts as compared to ten percent of non-abused adolescents. Another study reported the appalling observation that victims of sexual abuse at young age were eight times more likely to attempt suicide. The major reasons for these suicidal tendencies are shame and internal attribution of blame.
Child abuse has also been proved to adversely affect the cognitive capabilities of the children. Lack of cognitive strength has been surmised as the reason for grade repetition among child abuse victims. In a report created by National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW), it has been noted that at least 10 percent of children showed signs of cognitive problems which led to poor academic performance. Critical areas such as speech and language are also influenced to a significant extent due to abuse.
Finally, the most severe and tragic effect of child abuse is death. World Health Organization estimates that more than 150,000 children, aged 15 or younger, die annually due to child abuse. This high estimate is notwithstanding the fact that a large number of cases go unreported due to inconsistent investigations and failure to perform post-mortems. Child abuse has scarred and ruined numerous young lives, and the effects of child abuse are lifelong, if not fatal.
Works Cited
Lamont, Alister. Effects of child abuse and neglect for children and adolescents.
National Child Protection Clearinghouse, 2010.
Long-term consequences of child abuse and neglect. Child Welfare Information Gateway,
2013.
Amaya-Jackson, Lisa. Understanding the Behavioral and Emotional Consequences of Child
Abuse. American Academy of Pediatrics, 2008.
